


the girl next door

by TheNerdsPapers



Category: My Babysitter's A Vampire, mbav - Fandom
Genre: F/M, benny weir imagine, benny weir x reader, frenemies to lovers, mbav imagine, some mentions of blood (for obvious reasons)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-22
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:46:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21523921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNerdsPapers/pseuds/TheNerdsPapers
Summary: Taken from the events of the first season, reader tags along with the gang to fight Whitechapel monsters. Along the way, she and Benny begin to develop feelings despite their disagreements.
Relationships: Benny Weir/Reader, Sarah Fox/Ethan Morgan
Comments: 1
Kudos: 67





	the girl next door

**Author's Note:**

> This is almost entirely written from the show, but I had to write it. I would absolutely love to do a sequel that occurs outside the events of the show if anyone's interested (and probably even if they're not).

A body slammed against the nextdoor locker with a joyful sigh.

"What's gotten into you?" Y/n asked.

"Do you ever wonder how someone so perfect could exist?" Her friend sighed again, her books held close to her chest as she stared off dreamily.

"Depends, who are we talking about?"

"Benny, obviously!"

"Benny?!" Y/n's mouth gaped open before her bag came tumbling out on top of her. "I know I've only been here a month, but that seems like a big change since only a couple days ago."

A burst of giggling behind them interrupted the conversation. A pack of girls carrying flowers, candy, and an assortment of baked goods were chattering excitedly. "There he is!" One shrieked before the entire herd went trampling down the hall, dragging y/n's friend with them.

Her eyes followed their path as none other than Benny and Ethan, their friends Sarah and Erica clinging to their sides, strolled around the corner. The girls thrust their gifts into their arms. Looking around at the other students, some were angry, others just plain confused or ignoring the events. Y/n's attention was locked on their other friend, her acquaintance, Rory. His efforts to join in the crowd were cast aside with disgusted looks. He laughed it off.

"Rory!" Y/n called, trotting over. "What's going on?"

"Benny and Ethan are like the coolest people ever now! Isn't it awesome?! Wait... that makes me cool by extension!" He grinned as he rushed off to attempt to grab another girl's attention.

"Clearly I missed something yesterday...."

~

Later in the day, Y/n hurried to catch Sarah at her locker. The girl was generally nice, so it couldn't hurt to ask her what happened when she was absent. She froze as she caught sight of her at her locker. The usual decorations adorning her locker door had been torn down and replaced with cutout hearts and pictures of Ethan's face. Something was definitely wrong.

"Hey, Sarah, what's going on?" She greeted with a fake smile.

"Oh, my gosh!" Sarah gushed. "Can you believe how cute Ethan is? I'm sitting with him at lunch today." She gasped. "Do you think he'll want to hang out after school too?" 

Y/n knew of Ethan's feelings for Sarah. He wasn't exactly inconspicuous about it. "Yeah, I'm sure he will. So, what happened yesterday? Everyone seems to be really into him and Benny suddenly."

"What do you mean?"

"What do you mean, what do I mean? It's Benny and Ethan! The two dorkiest guys in the school? I'm Benny's neighbor, I've seen them larping in his backyard."

"I know! Aren't they creative?" That's one way of putting it. She closed her locker. "Why don't you sit with us at lunch too?"

"I think I'll pass."

~

A warm breeze floated in the window as Y/n sat at her desk, working on homework. She tapped her pencil on the textbook. Her head rested on her hand. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get the image of the flock of girls swarming Benny all day long. It just didn't make sense. Of course, he was cute and smart and funny, but for some reason, no one else noticed until a couple days ago. Something must have happened at the school, it was the only way to explain how she wasn't affected. 

She stood from her seat and walked over to the window. She pushed aside the curtain. Nothing seemed amiss, but it wasn't likely Benny was home anyway. He tended to spend a lot of time at Ethan's house. Something still didn't feel right. Her bottom lip worked under her teeth. It wouldn't hurt to walk by, would it? With her parents out late, she shoved her feet into a pair of shoes and left the house. As she approached, she watched as they came running out of the house screaming. 

She ducked down behind a bush. The boys were pinned against the side of the house, cornered. Out of nowhere, Sarah and Erica stepped in. They engaged, hissing. As they were distracted, Ethan and Benny sprinted away to a cage. They argued for a moment, giving her the chance to run over to a girl knocked out on the ground. She picked up a wooden bat laying beside her and gave it a test swing.

"Y/N?!" She heard Benny shriek. He gripped the bars of the cage. Clearly he and Ethan locked themselves in for protection. She rushed over.

"Will someone please tell me why girls are suddenly falling all over themselves for you guys?!"

"Benny, kind of spilled a love potion...."

"Hey!"

"I should have known-" her words were cut off as a horde suddenly swarmed the cage. Erica and Sarah headed the attack. Y/n swung the bat threateningly at them. "Stay back!"

"Go Y/n!" Benny cheered before Ethan elbowed him. The cage was surrounded by rage filled girls, clawing at them. They jumped back, clinging to one another and screaming.

"Get out of the way," Erica hissed.

"Don't make us fight you too," Sarah added.

"If you want them," she spared a glance at the terrified boys, "you'll have to go through me." She attempted to swing at them again, but was flung aside into the bushes. Her headed collided with the ground and she was out cold.

~

When she came to, her confusion quickly turned into shock. But it wasn't allowed to last long. The door to the room she was in swung open.

"Oh, good, you're awake!" A cheery woman exclaimed. "I think you'll want to come downstairs with me now."

"Benny's grandma?"

The old woman nodded, waving her to follow her down the stairs. She took one last look at the room, flushing as she realized where she'd spent the night. Erica and Sarah already waited in the yard. The sun burned her eyes, making it feel like her head was going to split open. 

"You took a pretty hard landing," Sarah said apologetically. She placed a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, you weren't in your right mind." Y/n shrugged before peering over at the cage. Benny and Ethan were snuggled together beneath a pile of leaves. They mumbled incoherently as they woke. Immediately, they jumped apart, shouting. 

"What do you think we should do?" Sarah asked.

"Kill them," Erica answered.

Benny turned to Ethan. "I thought you said the spell would have worn off by now! Y/n do something!"

"It did! Now we're just mad at you!" Sarah retorted.

"Guys, look," Benny continued to fumble, "we are really, really sorry." Ethan nodded in agreement.

Erica exchanged a look with Sarah. Y/n tried to look like she knew what they were doing. "Well, you should be, because look what SpedEx just dropped off." 

Sarah pulled a large key from her pocket and waved it around. The boys gawked. "I get it, you guys totally want to punish us."

Just then, Benny's grandma stepped forward. "Not them, lover boys, me."

Benny and Ethan froze, glancing at one another as they tried to process what this would mean. Sarah unlocked the door. The two stumbled out, rubbing their heads awkwardly and mumbling apologies. Benny's grandma simply shook her head and handed them buckets and sponges. 

Not long later, the girls sat on the steps of her house, sipping lemonade and watching them scrub down her car. 

"You missed a spot," Sarah called over.

Benny whined and complained, thinking his voice wouldn't carry. He mocked Erica, "why is she always so naggy-"

She cut him off with a hiss. "I heard that! Maybe I wouldn't be so naggy if you weren't so oblivious." Giving him a pointed look, her gaze shifted to the girl sitting beside her and away in a second.

~

"Boys," the chemistry teacher coldly greeted as Ethan and Benny stumbled into the room, "glad you could join us."

Benny gave a half-hearted laugh. "When isn't anyone glad to see us?" The teacher didn't laugh. Benny's smile faded as the pair trudged to their seats. 

"Actually, Mr. Jones, will you please trade seats with Mr. Weir for today?"

Benny vocalized indignantly before the student pushed past him. He leered at the teacher, scooping his books back up and slumping over to the seat behind his usual one. 

Y/n waved awkwardly at him. "Hey, partner. Happy to sit next to you too."

He nodded, lips twitching upward, but it quickly turned into a scowl. Class continued in a daze. Y/n began to daydream about going to get a giant milkshake and tub of fries, but was interrupted by a hand swatting at her arm. 

"Watch it, Benny," she whispered. He didn't react, instead pointing to the teacher. Her attention moved to the board. In her daze, she hadn't noticed that the teacher had begun writing 'brains' repeatedly on the board. 

Ethan leaned back in his chair. "Is this normal?" Benny shrugged. The trio turned back to the teacher, who suddenly turned and walked out the door. "What does that mean?"

"I think it means, text freely amongst yourselves!" Benny announced loudly to the class. Everyone nodded and pulled out their phones. Y/n remained suspicious, but followed suit. Soon, the bell rang for the end of class and still the teacher hadn't returned. Benny and Ethan walked side by side out of the room.

"Do you think we should tell someone?" Y/n asked, tagging along behind them.

"Nah, they're teachers so- wait. No, you're not following us!" Benny protested, yet continued to walk down the hall. "You still haven't explained what you were doing at Ethan's house when we were attacked." 

She frowned. "Is it really that difficult to believe that I was just going for a walk?"

"At night?! In this town?!"

"Sorry, he kinda has a point," Ethan added. 

Before she could explain further, they were interrupted by a figure jumping in front of them.

"Greetings, mortals!"

"I guess I'll take that as my cue to leave," Y/n waved. "Hey, Rory!"

"Hey!" He waved with a grin before turning his attention back to the other two.

She chuckled, shaking her head, and turned the corner.

~

Students were running in every direction. The sounds of screams and shattered glass echoed through the halls. Y/n rushed into the bathroom to hide in a stall, slamming the door shut behind her and sliding the lock. Even though they'd lost their minds, no teacher would check the bathroom, right? 

The intercom screeched overhead. Benny's voice crackled through. "Testing, check one, two." Another, scolding, voice said something in the background. "Attention all Whitechapel students, this is a life saving announcement from Benny Weir. Girls, you know who I am." He laughed. Y/n groaned. Only Benny could turn this situation into a flirtation opportunity. "Due to unforeseen circumstances- uh, beyond our control, we have no choice but to cancel all classes, extracurricular activities-" As if that wasn't obvious.

The intercom screeched again, this time Ethan's voice coming through. "Zombies. Run!"

Zombies. Well, that wasn't that surprising, given the whole 'brains' thing earlier. Y/n unlocked the door, creeping out into the empty hall. An exit couldn't be far. All she'd have to do is not get noticed. She stayed close to the wall, constantly looking over her shoulder and ears trained on any sound. A scuffle broke out around the corner in front of her and Sarah burst out. 

"We need to go. Now." She grabbed the girl by the arm and pulled her away. 

"I think Ethan and Benny are still holed up in here."

"I know, this way." She led her further into the school until she stopped outside the door to a boys' washroom. 

"I guess we had the same idea," Y/n muttered.

Sarah pushed the door open against some resistance. The pair squeezed in to come face to face with the other two nerds. 

"We were just talking about you," Benny said anxiously. "Hooray! We're saved! And Y/n! You're here too! That's… great. Can we go now? I mean, after I wash my hands." He pointed to a sign on the door with a grin. 

Sarah scoffed. "There's nowhere to go!"

The three discussed some pop culture theories about how to fight the seemingly zombie apocalypse.

"-they cured the zombies with Anti-Zombulex." Benny glanced over at Y/n, almost as if for approval. She nodded, to his pleasure, despite having no idea what he was talking about. Normally, she'd say she was just as nerdy as the rest, but these two were on an entirely different level of niche interests.

"That's right! If we get a sample of the coffee," Ethan theorized, "maybe we can analyze it and find a cure. Or a weakness."

"Right, sounds like we're headed to the lab. Let's go."

"Wait, I think we're going to need my endoplasmic refractor from home."

"I love that endoplasmic refractor!" Benny gushed.

Sarah nearly snapped in exasperation. "Here's the deal. You get a sample, and I'll race to your house to get your… ecto- thing, and we meet in the lab in ten minutes. Deal?" She turned to leave the washroom. "Oh, and Y/n, go with them and make sure they don't screw this up somehow."

Ethan directed her to where she'd find the equipment before watching her rush out. He turned to the remaining of the group. "Okay, there should still be some coffee in the teacher's lounge."

Benny nodded. "And Y/n you go straight to the lab."

"What? No! I can help, I'm going with you guys."

"We still don't know if we can trust you!"

"Trust me?!"

"Okay, stop," Ethan interrupted, "we'll never get anywhere with you two arguing. Y/n, go to the lab. Make sure it hasn't been overrun. Set everything up. I trust you because I know you know what you're doing. Benny and I will go to the lounge because the two of us make a smaller target."

She nodded reluctantly, but not before shooting Benny an ugly look which he quickly returned. With a huff, Y/n slipped out the door. It was lucky Sarah led most of the zombies away. The lab wasn't far. After the adrenaline rush of nearly being eaten, the stillness of the school was almost more unnerving. Without incident, she was able to reach the empty lab. Hurriedly, she began setting out equipment, lighting a Bunsen burner. 

A few minutes later, a banging on the door caused her to jump. She almost knocked a glass vial to the ground. She rushed over and unlocked the door. Sarah, Ethan, and Benny all burst in the door. Without another word, Ethan began his experiment. Benny was oddly quiet. His face had broken out in a sheen of sweat. Y/n almost pulled him aside. 

"Are you okay?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah! I'm pumped!" He replied, almost too eagerly. "Let's do this! Zombie cure!" His lack of some clever quip was even more worrying.

Ethan remarked on the cells he was observing. Something about them being like neurons. It was hard to focus when zombies nearly crashed through the door. Sarah panicked, grabbing a fire extinguisher and blowing it at them. 

Ethan continued his ramble. "-hot. That's why the fire extinguisher! It's cold!"

"Great," Benny drawled. "so we just wait till January?"

"Can we just blast the air conditioner?!"

Y/n placed a hand on Benny's shoulder. "B, you look really sick. Are you- were you bitten?"

He didn't reply, focused on Ethan and Sarah's exchange. His attempted cheer dropped off. "Brains."

Ethan finally caught on, suddenly concerned. "Did you get bit back there?"

Y/n waved her hands in exasperation.

"No," Benny replied. "I got bit up here." He pulled up his sleeve to reveal a nasty bite mark on his arm.

"Benny! Why didn't you tell me!" 

"What would we have been able to do if he did?"

"I thought you might get cure. Fix. Benny." His eyes dragged along before locking onto Ethan. "Can I bite your head?" 

"Benny, no!" Y/n leapt forward, grabbing onto him as Ethan stumbled back in a panic. Benny lurched forward. "Come on! Um, fight it?" 

The door broke down and the window was broken. Zombies began filing in the room and reaching through the broken glass. Y/n was pushed backward as Benny stood and went after Ethan. The gas of the fire extinguisher was choking. Benny ripped it from his hands, slamming it on the ground. Ethan stumbled around as he tried to avoid the zombies' clutches. She grabbed a chair and swung it, attempting to at least knock Benny down. He crumpled to the floor. She breathed happily. Not a moment later, he regained his footing and turned on her. She held her hands up defensively. Just before he reached her, the air conditioning kicked on. One by one, zombies began to drop. Benny fought, but eventually, he too was unconscious.

~

The large door swung open to reveal Jane, Ethan's little sister. "Ethan! Your babysitter's here!"

"Hey guys!" Sarah smiled. "I hope you don't mind that I brought a friend!" 

Y/n bashfully followed her inside as the door closed. She gave a small wave to Benny and Ethan.

"Hi," Ethan greeted morosely. 

Not long after his parents were dressed up and ready to leave for the senior citizens' prom, there was another knock at the door. Benny's grandma stepped inside dressed up as well.

"Grandma! You look-" he exchanged a look with Ethan as Y/n shot him a warning leer.

"Hot?" Ethan finished for him. They exchanged a few more unsure glances.

"You look surprised dear," she said. "Can't a grandma get her groove on?"

Footsteps coming down the stairs alerted the group to Ethan's mother. She happily stepped down the stairs in her old prom dress, to Benny's grandma's chagrin.

"It's a little 1981, isn't it?"

"Well- yeah, that's the point!"

Ethan fumbled to interrupt the tension. "Mom, I'm sure it looked great thirty years ago."

"Yeah," Benny nodded and smiled. "Grandma can loan you something out of her closet." Y/n's head snapped towards him, eyes practically crackling with hidden disappointment. "What?"

A short minute later, they were hustling each other out the door. "Have fun, guys!" The gang waited a moment to be sure they left before turning on a mission.

"Okay, Jacuzzi Time Machine starts in T minus two minutes."

"I'll get the drinks," Benny said eagerly.

Y/n turned to follow him. "I'll… help." They strode into a storage room where the Morgans had stashed a small supply of soda and other sugary drinks. "So, I guess I owe you an explanation."

"Hm?" Benny turned around, arms already full of bottles.

"About the whole, why I keep popping up when I shouldn't? I swear I really was just going for a walk that first time. That second time, I got stuck and happened to run into Sarah."

"Okay," Benny's brow furrowed as he tried to understand. "Yet you stayed…."

"You guys seemed like you needed help." She squeezed her hands together nervously, avoiding his eye. 

"Alright, could be worse. At least you're cute."

"I just- wait. What?!" Her attention snapped back to him, but he'd already disappeared out the door. She stopped out and went into the living room. Everyone was already waiting for the movie to start, minus Sarah. Y/n awkwardly sat on the chair beside the couch. 

Sarah walked in the room carrying a bowl of popcorn. "Hey, that's my spot!"

"I always sit next to Ethan on movie night!" Benny protested.

"Are you sure it's Ethan that you want to sit next to?"

He laughed, looking between the two teenagers staring at him as it slowly faded. "Oh, I get it, you guys want to uh, canoodle." He smirked.

"No we don't!"

"Alright!" He laughed, standing before sitting down on the floor at Y/n's feet.

A scream sounded from outside the house, followed by a crash. The screen on the TV buzzed and fizzled out. The group erupted in a chorus of ‘no’s. 

“I have got to work on my roof landings,” a voice groaned outside the window.

“Rory….”

~

Ethan, Sarah, and Jane sat around the kitchen table with a half-eaten pizza and almost-empty bowl of popcorn. Rory sprawled himself on the counter as Benny announced the movie’s events. He remained seated at Y/n’s feet, seemingly unaware as she absentmindedly twisted strands of his hair together.

“My favorite part is coming up!” 

“How do you know?” Sarah questioned with a huff.

“He knows this movie off by heart,” Ethan answered.

“I’m so bored!”

Benny’s head snapped in the direction of the kitchen. “Hey! If you didn’t knock the satellite over, we’d all be watching Jacuzzi Time Machine right now!”

“Do you think Grandma’s making out with her boyfriend right now?” Jane asked.

Everyone made various sounds of disgust. 

“Don’t you have some cards?”

“My parents might have some old board games in the basement.”

Everyone paraded down the wooden stairs to the basement. Aside from some old, long-forgotten discarded items, there were a few dusty games stacked around. Rory and Jane were quickly distracted by some robotic toys. Benny shook his head and muttered a few words as Sarah tried recommending a few different games. 

Ethan gasped before picking up a game and turning around. “Check this out! Spiritspeaker.”

“I don’t know about that one guys….” Y/n said, alarms seeming to go off in her head. She wrapped her arms around herself uncomfortably. 

“Host a seance and make contact with the spirit world.” Everyone choked as he blew a large cloud of dust off the box. 

“Now we’re talking,” Benny coughed and grinned. “Let’s meet up with some honeys from the other side!”

Sarah shook her head. “Those things give me the creeps. I thought they were banned from toy stores. I don’t think we should mess with it, guys.” Y/n nodded in agreement.

“What’s the big deal? It’s just a board game. C’mon, Y/n have some fun for once.”

“It’s about what it represents that scares me.”

“Just one little game?” Ethan asked. “Unless you’re scared.”    
“Yeah, I’m a chicken. Jane and I are going to go play dress up. Can you guys try not to make a mess?” She turned and lead Jane up the stairs. Y/n took one last look at the board and the boys before following. 

“Be careful, alright?” She gave Benny a pointed look as he saluted her sarcastically. Once comfortably in Jane’s room, the young girl began sorting through her closet. “I have a really bad feeling about this, Sarah.”

“I know, but they’re going to do what they’re going to do. The best we can hope for is that they don’t mess things up too bad.”

Jane began pulling various accessories out and piling them on the bed. They were barely able to get started playing before there was a loud crash from downstairs. Sarah growled and stomped over to the door, swinging it open. “Guys! What are you doing down there!”

“Nothing!” They all chorused. 

She rolled her eyes and stomped back over to the bed. “I swear, one of these days-” She broke off. Her body stiffened momentarily.

“Sarah? Are you okay?” Jane asked, reaching to grab her hand. 

Y/n pulled her back. “Don’t touch! Something’s not right.” 

Sarah looked up, suddenly darker. Her hair was mussed and her clothing disheveled from play, but something in her stature was off. She stood, swaying on her feet. Without a word, she stood and walked out the door. 

“Stay here.” Y/n told Jane, following Sarah downstairs. She peered around the corner and watched as she seemed to float into the kitchen. Stumbling down the stairs, she saw the boys also watching in confusion. “You guys screwed it up didn’t you!”

“We didn’t screw it up!” Benny retorted. They all walked into the kitchen to see Sarah digging through the fridge animalistically. “Okay, maybe I see what you’re getting at.”

She turned toward them, tossing garbage and empty cans at them. She growled in a language sounding uncomfortably close to latin.

“Are you guys thinking what I’m thinking?” Ethan asked, dodging another can.

“That you guys got her possessed by some… demon?!”

“You gotta admit, she looks like a lot more fun,” Benny shrugged.

“Benny!”

“Yeah, if she wasn’t trashing my house!” His annoyance quickly turned to fear as Sarah grabbed a plate of cake. “Please, no! No, my mom just made that cake for her book club tomorrow. She researched recipes all week. Please!”

Sarah paused a moment before digging her hands deeply in the chocolate confectionery. 

“I like her style.” Benny nodded.

“Ethan!” Jane called downstairs. “Where’s Sarah?”

“She’s just getting you guys a snack! Be right up!”

Benny began to approach the counter. “I have to try that cake. It’s not like your mom can feed it to her book ladies now.” He stumbled back as Sarah hissed threateningly at him. She ran into the office, dropping Ethan’s dad’s bowling trophy on the floor to his dismay.

“That’s it,” he snapped. “I order you to return to the board and back to wherever it is you came from!”

She roared and sprinted upstairs. Jane screamed. They all rushed upstairs, searching every room for the girl. 

“Uh, guys?” Rory called fearfully. “I think I know where she is.”

They rounded the corner to find Sarah glowing and flickering red. Immediately, they turned tail and ran back downstairs. 

“I told you a seance was a bad idea!” Benny pointed accusingly at Ethan.

“It was your idea!”

“Okay, I’m taking over.” Y/n announced. 

“And what makes you think you have any better ideas?” Benny folded his arms with a scowl.

“I’ve seen plenty of horror movies,” she nodded affirmatively.

“Right, I’m sure I’ve seen twice as many as you.”

“Besides,” she continued, ignoring his comment, “I’ve researched a thing or two about this stuff.”

He shook his head, causing her to roll her eyes. “Let’s assess we have an evil demon who has taken possession of a fledgling vampire’s body, who has trapped your little sister inside your bedroom.”

“Right.”

“Then there’s only one thing to do.”

Y/n watched angrily as they suited themselves like children playing war. Strapping whatever they could find to use as armor to themselves, they marched upstairs. She waited, knowing that whatever ridiculous plan they had concocted couldn’t possibly work. This wasn’t something physical to fight like all the other times. Not long later, they came trudging back into the kitchen, covered in ectoplasm. They didn’t say a word. Instead, they walked out the door and began digging a hole in the backyard.

“What are you guys doing?”

“We’re going to suck the soul out and contain it,” Ethan explained breathlessly.

“Like Ghostbusters!” Rory chimed in.

“This is a seriously bad idea!” Benny shouted.

“I’m with him on that one!” He looked at the girl, confused, yet similarly pleased with himself despite his anxiety.

Ethan turned to him. “Are you going to help us or what?” He looked at Y/n. “You too.”

“Are you really sure we should be doing this?” Ethan’s reply was cut off as objects from his bedroom began flying out his window and landing at their feet. 

Benny reached into the dirt, pulling out a gilded box, promptly dropping it as more items nearly collided with his head. Between the damage to his prized collectibles, and the social punishment Sarah’s demon was causing, Ethan couldn’t handle it. He threw down his shovel and ran to the shed. He pulled out a leaf blower. 

“So we’re going full Ghostbusters on this?” Benny questioned as they fiddled with the machine on the counter. 

Ethan nodded, passing him a screwdriver.

Y/n would have continued to voice her concern over their solution, but managed to keep her mouth shut. It wasn’t like she had a better plan. Although, maybe there was something to help in Benny’s book that he always carried around. Clearly it had something mystical to do with it. The strange symbols and diagrams, plus the fact that the thing was written in latin. He should really be more secretive and not be pulling it out in the middle of class. Her attention was drawn back to the nerds as they began arguing again.

“You always get defensive!”   
“Defensive?! You’re pulling that card right now!”

“GUYS!” Rory shouted. “Did you try the power switch?”

The two exchanged a bitter look. Rory flicked the button before Benny gave Ethan a small, apologetic smile and pulled the cord. To their pleasure, the leaf blower roared to life. 

“Let’s bag us a demon!” He lifted the machine and ran upstairs to Ethan’s room, closely followed. Sarah drew strange symbols all over the walls, the lights continuing to flicker. “Is it wrong that I still think she’s hot?”

Sarah’s voice responded in demonic anger to Ethan’s threats. Rory pulled the cord to jumpstart the leaf blower before running and pulling Jane out of the room to safety. Y/n instinctively grabbed the end of the leaf blower to prevent it from waving out of control. Benny responded in kind, his grip covering her’s tightly. To her surprise, she watched as the spirit inside of Sarah was pulled out and into the chamber. Sarah dropped to the ground hard. She stood with a groan as Benny and Ethan cheered triumphantly. Benny grabbed Y/n’s shoulder, shaking it in his joy.

“What happened?” She wondered.

“It was Rory’s fault,” they answered in sync.

Rory swung the door open. “I heard that.”

Ethan checked his watch. “My parents are going to be home in twenty minutes.”

“I guess we’d better get set to cleaning.”

The teenagers all sprinted downstairs to see the house a chaotic mess. Rory was sent out to fill the hole dug in the backyard and bring everything back upstairs to Ethan’s room. Y/n swept up the shards of broken trophy. Sarah and Ethan attempted to clean up the kitchen. He was still dismayed over how to explain the cake to his mom. Once the rest of the house was cleaned, they all convened in the living room, straightening pillows and magazines on the coffee table. The lock clicked and the front door open. Everyone scrambled to look as casual as possible. 

“Hey mom, hey dad. How was the uh, senior prom?” 

“Well it was a little slower than I remember,” Ethan’s mom replied.

“Where’s grandma?”

“The captain of the lawn bowling team took her to the pancake palace for the midnight buffet.”

“Sounds like a great date,” Y/n smiled. 

“I don’t know where she gets her energy.”

After his parents went up to bed, Ethan turned to Benny. “Did you take care of the Cubile Animus?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “That thing is never gonna bother us again.”

Y/n yawned. “It’s getting late, I guess I should be heading home.” 

“Do you want me to walk with you?” Sarah asked.

“No, no. I’ll be okay. Besides, it’s in the opposite direction for you.” She waved her off.

“Benny can walk you home!” Rory suggested. “You’re neighbors right? That’s in the same direction!”

He shook his head. “Nah, I’m staying the night-” Sarah elbowed his shoulder. “Okay, ow! I mean, yeah, sure. I can stay the night here any time.”

Y/n shrugged on her jacket and walked out the door. She waited on the doorstep, but it only took a minute for him to follow. “You don’t actually have to walk me home, you know.”

“It’s not that big of a deal.”

For someone so talkative, most of the walk passed in silence. The streets were oddly empty. It didn’t help that the crisp autumn air kept any crickets from being out late. Benny stuffed his hands in his pockets. “So, I guess I should thank you for helping us out tonight.”

“I didn’t do anything. If anything, I only made it harder for you guys to work.”

“Nah, just being there is a help. I mean, if things really had gone wrong, we might have needed you. Not that we didn’t need you. That’s not at all what I’m trying to say. You’re moral support! And you helped us clean up!”

“So I’m here for cheering you on and cleaning up your messes?”

“Yes?” He paused. “No!”

Y/n chuckled. “I’m just messing with you.”

“In all seriousness. You are… fun… to have around and stuff.” He stopped in his tracks.

“Well I’m glad there’s something we can agree on.” She held her hand out for him to shake. “We’re cool now?”

He accepted. “Yeah, we’re cool.”

~

“Okay, you look great. Are you ready?” Sarah turned to Y/n with a nervous smile. 

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” she nodded before ringing the doorbell.

A moment later the door swung open to reveal Ethan’s mom’s smiling face. “Look at you two! You look gorgeous! Ethan-”

The pair were already halfway down the stairs. Benny grinned, but Ethan looked like he might be sick for a moment before the corners of his lips twitched up. 

“Um, hey guys,” Sarah greeted. 

His mom nodded. “You look adorable. Now come on, it’s picture time!” Sarah was wedged in between the two boys while Y/n awkwardly stood on the outskirts. His mom waved her in closer. “She’s not going to bite you, Benny.”

He gave the girl a thin smile, stiffly wrapping an arm around her waist to draw her into the group. She really hoped the burning in her face wasn’t visible. Panic set in as Ethan’s mom began to count down. As she said cheese, the boys pushed Sarah behind them. It would reveal to much if she wasn’t caught on camera. She frowned. 

“Gotta go, mom,” Ethan said, dodging her attempts at taking more pictures. With a couple more goodbyes, they all filed out the door into Grandma’s car. 

The ride was spent in anxious silence. Sarah, driving, continuously tried to catch Y/n’s eye in the rearview mirror as she was wedged in the back with Benny. She tried to scoot closer to the door and put as much space between him and herself as possible. It wasn’t long until she was watching Benny down his third cup of punch. 

“The key to fighting vampires is to hydrate!” He explained when Ethan criticized him.

“Really? Where do you get all this information?”

“...Dusk.” Y/n snickered at his answer, biting back another laugh when Benny leered at her half-heartedly. His eyes cast over the crowd before he gasped. “There’s Della! Should I ask her to dance?”

Ethan shook his head, sparing a glance over Benny’s shoulder at Y/n. “No, Sarah’s going to give us a signal any second. Then it’s time to kick some butt.” Benny frowned, but wasn’t able to say anything more as Rory stepped forward in a cheap astronaut suit.

“Who’s butt?”

“What are you wearing?” Benny nearly shrieked.

“We were supposed to dress up! You said we were wearing suits!”

Ethan laughed. “Not spacesuits, Rory!”

“You’re just upset because you didn’t think of it,” he turned to Y/n and smiled. “You look upset. Want to dance with me?”

Benny looked across the room and gaped. “Della’s looking this way!”

“You know what, Rory? Sure! I’d love to dance with you.” Her eyes flashed as she grabbed his hand and dragged him further into the crowd. He looked over at Benny and Ethan and winked.

“You look out of this world!” Rory joked.

“Thanks! You look…” she fumbled for an equally good joke, “like dark matter!”

“What?”

“You’re indescribable.”

His eyes lit up. He grabbed her hand and spun her around, a little too quickly, given his vampire strength. She tried to not think about what might be happening at that exact moment just a few rooms away. All she had to do was just focus on the music. That, and try to ignore Rory’s horrendous dancing. At least he was having fun. How could no one notice? Was the music that loud that no one heard the fighting? Was Benny so oblivious that he couldn’t see Della wasn’t actually interested in him? Why couldn’t he just-

“Are you okay?” Rory shouted over the music.

She froze. “Yeah, why?”

“You look angry. Are you thirsty? I’ll go get some punch!” He spun around and ran off, vanishing from sight. 

Y/n heaved a sigh. With Rory gone, he’d easily be distracted by something, or someone, else. She pushed her way through everyone, stumbling to the door. Checking to make sure no one was watching, she slipped out. The music was a dull thumping out in the empty hall. She listened carefully for the sound of a fight. Yet, there was nothing. Y/n ran down the hall, nearly colliding with Benny as he slid around a corner.

“Ethan- Jesse-” He gasped. Instead of explaining further, he grabbed her hand and pulled her along. They skittered to a halt behind Sarah and Erica. Ethan convulsed on the floor as Benny shouted his name. 

“Now, “ Jesse continued whatever rant he had been on, “either you become one of us, or he does. Your choice.” The doors behind him blew open and he flew out. 

Sarah slid to the ground, kneeling at the boys side as he writhed in agony. “No,” he moaned as she grabbed his arm. Small trails of blood leaked out from two puncture wounds in his wrist. Her eyes shifted between his and the wound before she sunk her teeth in.

“What’s she doing?” Benny asked.

“Saving him,” Erica explained sadly. They stared in shock and confusion. 

“Sarah,” Ethan whispered one last time before passing out. 

~

Ethan pressed an ice pack to his head as Benny looked on. Y/n stood in the doorway, nibbling on the corner of a fingernail.

“Don’t worry, honey, Sarah got the venom out. Your heart’s still beating, you’re going to be alright,” his grandma said soothingly. 

“Yeah, but Sarah isn’t. Benny, I feel terrible.”

“What do you expect?” He scoffed. “You just got bitten by a vampire. Vampire….”

“Sarah gave up whatever chance she had at a life to save me.”

“She really is worth the eight bucks an hour your mom pays her to babysit, eh?” He nudged his grandma for approval. She shook her head disappointedly, so he looked over at Y/n who responded in kind. 

“Benny….”

“Just trying to lighten the mood!”

“There’s nothing left for her now.”

Grandma patted his arm, attempting to comfort him, before leaving the room. Her work was done. Anything else, would have to be figured out by them. 

“Do you want me to stay or…?”

Ethan shook his head. “No, go home. Thanks for staying, Y/n.”

“It’s what friends are for.” She nodded. 

A moment later, Jane went off to her room and Benny followed her out, shutting the door behind him. He sighed. “Walk you home, then?”

“That would be nice.”

The pair thanked the Morgans as they stepped out the door. Y/n shivered. Despite the season turning to spring, there still seemed to be a wintery chill in the air. Without a word, Benny wrapped his tux jacket around her shoulders. 

“You don’t need to say anything,” he said before she could thank him. “Just, don’t get anything on it. I have to return it tomorrow.”

“I’ll do my best,” she laughed. He looped his arm with hers as they walked down the street to their neighboring houses. 

“So, how was Rory?” He asked suddenly.

“I mean, he’s Rory. Why?”

“You just seemed to be pretty eager to run off with him. That’s all….”

“Beats hanging out with a pair of dorks that can’t help but drool all over themselves any time another girl walks by.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” Benny paused, turning on her.

“‘Oh, look at her, isn’t she just so hot? Look at Della! What a babe, am I right?’” She waved her hands around in an imitation of him. “Give me a break!”

“Since when do you care? Actually, why do you care? Sorry that I can’t help but appreciate what’s in front of me!” He smiled incredulously.

Y/n frowned, slipping off the jacket and thrusting it into his chest. “Sure, Benny. That’s what you’re doing.” She turned and continued to walk home.

“Hang on!” Benny called after her, trotting to catch up. “Are you jealous?”

“I’m not the jealous one!” She scoffed. “You’re the jealous one!”

He laughed. “How am I jealous?”

“Really? Then why did you care so much about me going off to spend time with Rory?” She folded her arms, watching as he spluttered for a response. “I’m going home. Call me when you figure out what’s going on with you.” She pointed at him. “And between us.”

He could do nothing but watch as she coldly turned on her heel and strode off into the night, shoes clicking on the pavement. 

~

On autopilot, Y/n traded her dressed up appearance for a set of pajamas as soon as she got to her room. Freshly washed face quickly turned to burning splotches as her heart gave out. The stress of Ethan nearly dying, Sarah leaving, and suddenly Benny being weird was just too much to handle. She crawled under her covers, sobbing into her pillow. The blankets were soft and fluffy as she hugged them close, but it did little to comfort her. The only light on was her bedside lamp, but the dim lighting wasn’t soothing. Every cast shadow was just a reminder of everything that goes bump in the night. Everything out there that wants to hurt people. She cried until she could cry no more. Feeling lighter, she rubbed at her eyes and walked over to the mirror. At least she wasn’t a vampire. Things could be worse. Ethan’s safe, Sarah can take care of herself. All will be well. The only thing to worry about now was Benny.

A tapping at her window drew her from her thoughts. She swept back the curtain and pulled it open. Leaning out, she looked down. Benny stood in the yard. Upon seeing her, he dropped a handful of pebbles and picked up a coil of rope. He lifted it higher and pointed between himself and the window. Y/n huffed. He was the last person she wanted to see, but at the same time… who doesn’t dream of something like this happening? She nodded. He grinned and gestured for her to step back. She backpedaled further into her room. A few minutes later, one end of the rope fell in the window. She grabbed it to make sure it wouldn’t fall and leaned back out. Benny mimed a knot tying motion. Looking over her shoulder, the only thing she could find to tie it to was the end of her bed. With a shrug, she knotted the rope a couple of times to the bedpost. Y/n leaned out the window one more time to give him a thumbs up. It took a little while, but finally he heaved himself over the windowsill, nearly falling in.

“That looks a lot easier in the movies,” he gasped.

“What are you doing here?”

He pushed himself to his feet “Really, after all that, that’s how you greet me? Are you crying?”

“No,” her voice felt thick in her throat. 

“I want to apologize.”   
“I think that’s in order, but couldn’t you have done that at literally any other time? You didn’t have to climb up the side of my house.”

He grinned. “Yeah, but who doesn’t want to do that when they have the chance?”

“Are you going to apologize or just sit here talking all night?” Y/n questioned.

“I want to apologize,” he said again. His smile was wiped clear, leaving only an expression of uncharacteristic seriousness. He wrapped an arm behind his back, bringing it forward again with a conjured bouquet of flowers. “I treated you wrong and I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware that I was hurting you. You’re just really nice and helpful and pretty and I didn’t know what to do because I’m only ever used to girls rejecting me on sight. So,” he held out the bouquet, “can you forgive me?”

She smiled, accepting the gift tenderly. “I guess I can forgive you.”

“Yes!” He cheered, fist pumping the air. She lunged forward, covering his mouth with a hand and shushed him.

“Y/n?” Her mom’s voice knocked on the door. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah!” She gave Benny a warning look to stay silent before withdrawing her hand. “Just… checking my grades!” They waited until the footsteps faded and let out a shared breath. “I can forgive you on one condition.”

“Anything!”

“Show me that you actually care and you’re not just doing this to prove some kind of point.”

“Well in that case,” he smirked, “want to go to a movie or something sometime?”


End file.
